Recently offensive carrier missile systems have been developed that are capable of carrying multiple warheads or submissiles each of which may be deployed and independently controlled to arrive at a selected target. Such a system must controllably eject each submissile whereby the submissile may be initially placed or deployed from a stowed position within the carrier missile to an operative position in a predetermined and controllable trajectory or flight path.
Certain forces influence the deployment of a submissile from the carrier missile. For example, the aerodynamic forces surrounding the carrier missile can cause a deployed submissile to perform large amplitude oscillations. Even if the submissile is provided with internal flight controls, these oscillations may cause the submissile to depart from the desired flight path. In a worst case, the unpredictable flight path of the submissile may lead to an in-flight collision with the carrier missile possibly leading to mutual destruction. Other factors including, e.g., the size of the submissile, speed of the carrier missile and whether the submissile is provided with its own guidance and control system must be considered.